The Betsy

By J. Makali Bruton, October 23, 2016

1. The Betsy Marker

Inscription. The marker is made up of two panels.

Panel 1:
The Betsy was built in the port of Whitehaven in 1772 for use in the coal trade. During 1780, the British Navy leased her as a transport assigned to a convoy bound for North America, where she joined Cornwallis’s fleet at Yorktown. The British sunk nearly 50 ships between Yorktown and Gloucester during the Revolutionary War to impede the French fleet. The Betsy, one of these, was scuttled by her British crew on September 16, 1781, about ½ mile east of this site.

This model of The Betsy was built entirely from recycled materials. There are many creative ways to protect the Chesapeake Bay’s natural resources and this model illustrates one of these ways – re-using materials that might otherwise pollute the Bay

Constructed and donated to the Watermen’s Museum by Tim Rindfleisch, Biologist, York County, VA, May 16, 2001

Panel 2:In the mid eighteenth century the Chesapeake bay, and ports along the rivers leading to the Bay, were areas of great shipping activity between England and the colonies. The Bay offered great access to the many navigable rivers that could carry cargo ships and troop ships to the region’s towns and cities, including the nation’s capital.

The Betsy was a collier, a

By J. Makali Bruton, October 23, 2016

2. The Betsy Marker

Note the replica of The Betsy made of recycled materials. The Watermen's Museum can be seen in the background.

unique style cargo ship with a rounded bow and shallow draft.

A team of underwater archaeologists from the Virginia Department of Conservation and Historic Resources, led by John D. Broadwater excavated The Betsy in the mid 1980’s. Her hull still lies in place, filled with sand to protect her from further deterioration.

Location. 37° 14.347′ N, 76° 30.623′ W. Marker is in Yorktown, Virginia, in York County. Marker is on Water Street, on the right when traveling west. Touch for map. The marker and replica are on the grounds of the Watermen's Museum, to the right of the museum. The museum is on Water Street, to the right going west, just after passing under the George P. Coleman bridge. Marker is in this post office area: Yorktown VA 23690, United States of America.

Credits. This page was last revised on November 30, 2016. This page originally submitted on November 30, 2016, by J. Makali Bruton of Querétaro, Mexico. This page has been viewed 173 times since then and 3 times this year. Photos:1, 2. submitted on November 30, 2016, by J. Makali Bruton of Querétaro, Mexico.